'Like driving a house on wheels': the logistics of parading a dump truck down main street

By Rebecca Brewin (ABC Local)

Undoubtedly the star of the annual St Barbara's Parade, KCGM's 793C dump truck dwarves and delights crowds on its way down Hannan Street. But how on earth do you get a monster truck out of the Super Pit and onto the road?

Preparation starts three to four weeks before parade day, with road and heavy vehicle permits needed to take mining equipment onto the streets of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Then a 793C dump truck, standing five metres tall and eight metres wide, and a back-up are chosen for the coveted parade pilgrimage.

Taking the trucks off their circuit is unusual practice for KCGM, according to mining manager Dale Oram.

"Apart from servicing and general check-ups they are operating two shifts every day," he said.

"To pull one out of the circuit hits us with productivity so as a business case, it doesn't make sense, but as part of the community, it's huge.

"It's a great opportunity for people to get up and close to one of the monsters."

The trucks are taken aside a few days before the parade and checked.

The driver, who has to contend with a narrow route, a completely different road surface and hundreds of spectators lining the streets, is picked at random from a group of people who have won workplace awards for their dedication to KCGM's core values.

They must also have at least 12 months experience driving the dump trucks.

Field marshals are picked to guide the driver via radio.

"It's like driving a small house on wheels," Mr Oram said.

"The haul roads that they generally travel on are over 30 metres in width... in places along Hannan street we are left with maybe a couple of metres on either side of the truck, if that.

"The reality is with the barricades there, in some cases people can almost reach out and touch the truck, so it's very narrow."

To add to that, the view of the ground directly in front of the truck from the driver's seat is limited, due to the platform on the front of the 793C.

The operators on the ground are vital in guiding the driver's steering and keeping an eye on where the tyres are headed.

But it's all worth it, for what Mr Oram calls a "once in a lifetime opportunity".

At the end of the parade route, the truck does a u-turn at Wilson Street on a watered down surface, in order to prevent bunching and ruining the road's bitumen surface.

This year marks the 13th year of the 793C's involvement in the parade.

Over the years the task has become routine, with power lines moved higher in order to accommodate the trucks on their one annual journey down Hannan Street.

The vehicle chosen for tomorrow, a 793C F truck, is covered in the hand prints of hundreds of local school children who were invited to leave their mark on the tray earlier this week.

Mr Oram said the effect will surprise and please parade spectators.

"We've got another three other pieces of equipment (in the parade) as well, but the highlight is always the big 793C," Mr Oram said.

After a big day of excitement, the truck will be back at work by late Saturday night.